Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-03-25

organization for the promotion of their
interests with % local auxiliary assucia-
| tions and total membership of 1888 At
! their recent convention at Grand Rapids,
on the 18th inst, Robert NJ. Floyd, Esq,
of Chicago, read an interesting paper on
! the subject of the Effect of Labor Organ
! iZatious on Trade The principal portion
! of this was as follows:
1t is your duty to so conduct yourselves
and your business that you can always be
looked upon as worthy of that high posi-
ton. Bear in mind, If YOU cannot be
honest from nature, he so from self inter
est, because honesty invariably pays. Tell
the truth telling the truth gains friends,
while an untruth, when discovered, is
never forgotten or forgiven merchant
who deals in pure products and honest
goods, aud becomes 50 known to the peO-
pie, insures success The retail grocer and
| merchant have always been n sustaining
power to the working classes and here
follows what you are all vitality Interested
in, the question of the lndisCrminAte
granting of credits by the retailer 10 the
laborer and the poorer classes among his
customers.
In conversation with the leading retail
grocer he stated 81 know, from actual
experience, what it is to be a grocer dur.
ing strikes. We are, TO "A large extent,
dependent upon the lauoring classes aS
buyers. When II strike is ordered, and
these men owe us money, If we refuse to
give them more goods unless they pay
what is owed, they will move away and
not pay us at all if We continue to trust
! them, the chances are even whether we
Will get the money back or not at any
rate, we become the sustaining power OF
the strike, as we are obliged to support the
strikers"
Now, ask you, is it right that You
should allow yourself to be forced into Il
al
by irresponsible parties, and whether you
can consistently then 90 to the wholesaler
and manufacturer from who you are buy
ing goods, and demand an extension of
credit or more merchandise without pay
ment, because you have allowed yourself
to do what you know is wrong. But you
ask, "What shall we do? What can we
do ?" DO this Do not lack courage to
face emergencies that may come up. DO
not give credit where it is not deserved,
for fear of giving oiiense. First be just
to YOUR business trusts before you are gen
erous. Do not lose sight of the tact that
, your capital in business only represents IA
small portion of your interest. Remem-
Der the trusts others have placed in you,
by giving credit and consideration the
guardian OF this trust is what makes bust
ness honor, business integrity aud the
standing which every man in trade should
endeavor to attain, to keep and feel proud
of. 1t is iii the province of the retail deal
ers t. show customers the uuadVisibility
of unjust prosecutions, boycotts and I'M
reasonable strikes land that nothing bene-
fits a people so much as peaceful atti
tude, quietness, attention to work and du-
ties, and saving proportion Of their earn
ings.
We, as American citizens have the
right, if dissatisfied with our position or
employment to leave, but we have nc
right to prevent Others from WORKING or
! n n he n
any one else. 1t Is cOnclusively shown 10y
Prof. Swing that savings banks are pc
tent III working out solution of the so
cial and labor problems of the day. In
the State of New Hampshire, with only
half the population Oft the city of Chicago
there was more money in the savings
. banks than in all of Illinois, while in
Massachusetts the savings of the laborine
classes and the poor amounted to S25 900,
t 600 This Is proof positive that it is not a
, lack of wages, but want of care of what
- they receive, that causes the distress anO
the dissatisfaction on the part of so many
working people. The average wages paid
Worklngmen in the State of New Hamp
f shire is far under that which is earned by
the striking classes, and yet with the fore
thought and care OF the New Hampshire
Yankees, they have grown rich with say
| ing a pittance from their earnings.
, Mayor Hewitt of New York, on the 23rC
ult., said I'VE al sympathize with the
workingmen of this country, and are glat
= that the wages of labor are steadily on the
+ increase, we rejoice that capital has so in
Y creased that it daily becomes cheaper t.
e those who are compelled to borrow, be
cause labor pays when the cost of capita
! is reduced, but the benefit which would
/ thus, under natural laws accrue to tn,
g people, is largely, if not entirely, neutral
Zed by laws OF compulsory strikes and en-
forced idleness"
o Bradstreet gave the result of the strikes
: in 1856 as follows: Number of employs
out in January. 1900 February 10000
! March, 10000 May, 2l6,000 June, Jul.
and August, $1,000 september, 1000 DC
December, 10000. During the year abou
100000 people were idle for greater o
a less period, through strikes and lockouts
n and the loss in wages not to figure the i'm
;, mense amount OF Shrlnkage by the stop
; page of business and tratiics of all kinds
:, must have been enormous. Business sui
r fered materially from this cause, buildin,
industries were seriously checked takel
AS a whole the record of the year was no
3 favorable to labor agitations, and it i
y doubtful whether the cause of labor wa
! not harmed more than it was benefited b
c the conflicts which We're precipitated
!, Facts Facts , Give me facts" say
Gradgrind. You have them. Before bid
y ding you goodbye, let me give you this a
. a business motto
Honor before gain.
5 Never forget for one moment the glor
GUS rights given you by our forefatners
l. that of American citizenship, and neve
IS permit the action of any society or bod
n to abridse these rights of personal actlo
n and thought which are the God give
!, privileges of our glorious country.
y a vote of thanks was given Mr.. Floy
r. for his address.
- Cantura of Twn SInyars
q LONDON, March 23.-Advces from Su,
y kim state that the British war ship Alba
# core has captured two slaverS with carg
nI Il a NlaA pnnh Ininlr q IIallnh